SUMTER, S.C. — The South Carolina NAACP met in Sumter this weekend for its annual state convention, connecting with branches across the state to discuss the status of voter registration, education, and redistricting.
Officials with the state NAACP described those as the three main concerns going into the next year of action.
"We're always focused on encouraging people to take the right, register and vote," Madie Robinson with the Florence NAACP said.
"Our history, in terms of Black history, continuing to be taught in public schools," Brenda Murphy, president of the state NAACP, said.
"We talked about the redistricting that has occurred in South Carolina," Robinson said.
All of the branches in the Palmetto State discussed what each of those topics looks like in their county. Book bans and educational curricula are significant concerns in the Midlands.
"As a matter of fact, you know, in Pickens County, it's a major, major issue as well as in Berkeley County, also. And Lexington County, several counties that we're dealing with this right now," Murphy said.
The organization is also awaiting a decision from the U.S. Supreme Court on redistricting, which was heard on Wednesday.
"The current lawsuit that the State Conference filed is involved in regarding the congressional redistricting. We also talked about the need for local units as our branches in each of the areas to look at redistricting as a result of the census because all of that impacts the quality of life in the right of people of color in this state," Robinson said.
In addition to redistricting, the organization aims to increase voter registration.
"So, it's just encouraging members to engage, to have them encourage others in the community, to be engaged to attend kind of council meetings, city council meetings, school board meetings," Murphy said. "Just to be a part of that process."